The Student Room Group

Should students be encouraged to critique porn in school?

From a sexologist in Denmark.

"“My proposal is to critically discuss pornography with 8th and 9th graders [age 15 – the legal age of consent in Denmark – and 16 respectively] as part of a sensible didactic strategy, carried out by trained teachers,” he told the Guardian."

There's a lot of talk about how access to porn from an early age gives young people unrealistic expectations of sex. Do you agree with this, or do you think it's exaggerated?

Do you think a critical discussion of pornography would be beneficial?

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Reply 1
isn't that done during so-called sex education anyway?
And yeah, that's seems to be a sensible thing to do- but instead maybe even earlier, in the age of 13-14.
It should definitely be taught as part of sex education, things like how it is not usually a realistic portrayal of sex. The whole point of sex education is to make sure they know the facts, so something which can cause misconceptions like porn should not be ignored.
I know for fact I wouldn't have wanted to watch porn on the big screen in a class room back in high school. Unwanted erections and all that. Imagine being in an assembly where everyone has just watched graphic porn on a giant screen. Then everyone has to stand up and walk out, teenage boys can get erections for no reason whatsoever, never mind watching porn. Would be lots walking funny :tongue:

Awkward erections were just something that caused me anxiety back then and whenever anything overtly sexual like a movie iwth a soft core sex scene I was thinking about trees terrified of getting an erection.

I can see the logic in what he is saying though. People watch porn including those under 16. To just ignore that is just stupid.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
I know for fact I wouldn't have wanted to watch porn on the big screen in a class room back in high school. Unwanted erections and all that. Imagine being in an assembly where everyone has just watched graphic porn on a giant screen. Then everyone has to stand up and walk out, teenage boys can get erections for no reason whatsoever, never mind watching porn. Would be lots walking funny :tongue:

Awkward erections were just something that caused me anxiety back then and whenever anything overtly sexual like a movie iwth a soft core sex scene I was thinking about trees terrified of getting an erection.

I can see the logic in what he is saying though. People watch porn including those under 16. To just ignore that is just stupid.


:lol: :console: I'm glad I've never had to be a teenage boy :redface:

I imagine it would be watched in an analytical/critical manner, so as to take all the sexy out of it... :dontknow:
Reply 5
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
I know for fact I wouldn't have wanted to watch porn on the big screen in a class room back in high school. Unwanted erections and all that. Imagine being in an assembly where everyone has just watched graphic porn on a giant screen. Then everyone has to stand up and walk out, teenage boys can get erections for no reason whatsoever, never mind watching porn. Would be lots walking funny :tongue:

Awkward erections were just something that caused me anxiety back then and whenever anything overtly sexual like a movie iwth a soft core sex scene I was thinking about trees terrified of getting an erection.

I can see the logic in what he is saying though. People watch porn including those under 16. To just ignore that is just stupid.


The rape cases may also increase as the guys would want to practice what they saw on the big screen on their female classmates or even teachers:eek:

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Reply 6
No, that sounds like a terrible idea. What next, watching 2 girls 1 cup so that we can critically address the problems in a lack of hygiene?
Reply 7
Original post by ProNoob
The rape cases may also increase as the guys would want to practice what they saw on the big screen on their female classmates or even teachers:eek:

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Indeed, because we all know guys are just one porn video away from becoming rapists, aren't they.
Original post by Puddles the Monkey
:lol: :console: I'm glad I've never had to be a teenage boy :redface:



You lot also found it incredibly funny :huff:. Girls then laughing about it made it even more embarrassing! :mad:

I'm not saying girls have it easy in the puberty department but not having to worry about unwanted erections would have been nice. Or being hit in the crotch with a football. Which is something else you all find so funny. :mad: :tongue:

Actually it would be nice not having to worry about those things now :tongue:

Also teachers should be made aware of not forcing a male student to stand up inf front of the class. It's the worse when you are busy day dreaming away thinking about sex and then teacher sudden asks you to come to the board :afraid:

I don;t miss school.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by ProNoob
The rape cases may also increase as the guys would want to practice what they saw on the big screen on their female classmates or even teachers:eek:

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Pretty much every boy was watching porn in some way or another when I was back at school. There is always the kids who have their own porn collection on their phone that everyone gathers round to watch at brake. One of my acquaintances had Simpsons and scooby doo porn if I remember correctly :lol:
Original post by ChaoticButterfly
You lot also found it incredibly funny :huff:. Girls then laughing about it made it even more embarrassing! :mad:

I'm not saying girls have it easy in the puberty department but not having to worry about unwanted erections would have been nice. Or being hit in the crotch with a football. Which is something else you all find so funny. :mad: :tongue:


Eh, periods are pretty bad so I guess it all evens out in the end. :smile::yy:

I don't think I've ever laughed at someone being hit in the crotch, that looks far too painful :hide:
Reply 11
My school already does this:nothing: but for year 12's
Original post by ProNoob
The rape cases may also increase as the guys would want to practice what they saw on the big screen on their female classmates or even teachers:eek:

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That's a bit extreme don't you think? :lol:

I think considering the age group that this would be aimed at, it seems entirely appropriate to discuss porn as part of the sex education curriculum. It's such a big part of teen sexuality nowadays, particularly for boys. There surely couldn't be a 15 or 16 year old alive in the UK who isn't at the very least aware of porn. So let's not turn a blind eye to it, let's actually address it and keep sex education relevant.. :yy:

On a side note, imagine asking a child what they want to be when they grow up and they respond, 'a sexologist'. :mmm:

Original post by Arkasia
No, that sounds like a terrible idea. What next, watching 2 girls 1 cup so that we can critically address the problems in a lack of hygiene?


I don't think the guy's suggesting that teens should watch porn in class and then discuss it - but rather just the latter.
(edited 9 years ago)
:facepalm:

I don't think anybody is suggesting putting pornhub up on the interactive whiteboard for all the kids to watch in class. The idea is discussion in order to minimise the risk of expectations that are out of touch with reality.

I think it's a great idea. I probably learned most of what I know about actually having sex from watching porn, but that only worked because I was old enough and of sufficient intellectual prowess (if you'll forgive the arrogance) to appreciate that my partners might not enjoy everything I saw on redtube. Communication is the key, ladies and gentlemen.

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Original post by ChaoticButterfly
I know for fact I wouldn't have wanted to watch porn on the big screen in a class room back in high school. Unwanted erections and all that. Imagine being in an assembly where everyone has just watched graphic porn on a giant screen. Then everyone has to stand up and walk out, teenage boys can get erections for no reason whatsoever, never mind watching porn. Would be lots walking funny :tongue:

Awkward erections were just something that caused me anxiety back then and whenever anything overtly sexual like a movie iwth a soft core sex scene I was thinking about trees terrified of getting an erection.


They can happen for no reason as well, you don't need to be watching porn to get one. They can just happen randomly.

Even worse when you got a random erection in a PE lesson where you're wearing loose shorts. :afraid::nooo::nooo::nooo::nooo:
Original post by Puddles the Monkey
Eh, periods are pretty bad so I guess it all evens out in the end. :smile::yy:

I don't think I've ever laughed at someone being hit in the crotch, that looks far too painful :hide:


Ye, they don't sound fun.

It is :tongue:




Since we are talking about sex ed why is it boys get very little period education and how all the stuff works taught for them?

Whenever it would get to that part of one of the few sex education assemblies all the boys would leave leaving just the girls. I get why you would do that to maybe save the girls embarrassment but if had to google or just read something form a biology book to actually get an understanding of what periods are and the cycle women's bodies go through. The relation with that to chances of getting pregnant, tampons, pads how the pill works etc. I don;t know why boys shouldn;t be taught that? Maybe that was just something that happened at my schools.

I honestly have no idea how pre internet children learned anything about sex if all official school education was as **** as mine was.
Original post by RFowler
They can happen for no reason as well, you don't need to be watching porn to get one. They can just happen randomly.

Even worse when you got a random erection in a PE lesson where you're wearing loose shorts. :afraid::nooo::nooo::nooo::nooo:


Like with women and boobs maybe there needs to be a 'erections are natural deal with it' movement from men :tongue:

I'm 22 and will still get situations where say I'm thinking about something sex related and the vibrations on a train will set me off and I have to quickly thing about something else :tongue:
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by ChaoticButterfly

Since we are talking about sex ed why is it boys get very little period education and how all the stuff works taught for them?

Whenever it would get to that part of one of the few sex education assemblies all the boys would leave leaving just the girls. I get why you would do that to maybe save the girls embarrassment but if had to google or just read something form a biology book to actually get an understanding of what periods are and the cycle women's bodies go through. The relation with that to chances of getting pregnant, tampons, pads how the pill works etc.

I honestly have no idea how pre internet children learned anything about sex if all official school education was as **** as mine was.


I have heard about this - it seems like boys should really be taught about periods, too. Everyone should probably be taught about everything relating to all genders, it would save a lot of heartache and confusion. If they're really concerned about embarrassment, then they could just teach in separate classes? :dontknow:

I didn't get any sex education at school. I learned everything from books and magazines. :yy:
Original post by ChaoticButterfly

I'm 22 and will still get situations where say I'm thinking about something sex related and the vibrations on a train will set me off and I have to quickly thing about something else :tongue:


I think the waistband technique should be a compulsory part of the national curriculum.
Original post by Puddles the Monkey

I didn't get any sex education at school. I learned everything from books and magazines. :yy:


:facepalm:

It's so bizarre something like sex which is a universal thing most people experience just gets ignored so much. It's like we are collectively as a species embarrassed about it :tongue:

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